Okorocha accuses oil coys of divide and rule in oil producing areas

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Friday said that his administration spent over N65 million to maintain peace in the affected areas. Okorocha stated this during a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibeh Kachukwu, representatives of Oil Companies operating in the state, traditional rulers and stakeholders from the Oil Producing Areas of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta areas of the state.

He alleged that Oil Companies operating in the state behave in such a manner that they end up creating crisis for the state and problems among the youths and stakeholders in the Oil Producing Communities through factionalisation and cult activities which always lead the people of the Communities killing themselves.

“Today the State government spends almost N65million monthly to pay Security agencies to maintain peace in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta. Meanwhile, we don’t benefit directly. Last time we carried out an amnesty programme where we had to engage 2,833 youths. And every day, most of them are on our payroll just to stop the arms and the avengers”.

He said, “Again the Federal Government promises to Ohaji, Egbema and Oguta when the Vice President came here, are yet to be fulfilled. I spoke with him and he promised that something is going to be done. I hope something will be done immediately”.
He further stated “On the abandoned skill acquisition Centre in Ohaji/Egbema, we agreed with the Federal Government to turn it into University of Science and Technology, but as at my last discussion with the Vice President, we agreed that it should be turned into a University of Agriculture. That will help our people instead of allowing that completed huge project abandoned”.

“The 330MV Egbema Gas Plant abandoned which was wrongly contracted and wrongly executed has been laying there for the past Seven years and that is a monumental waste. Over 740 U.S. dollars has been wasted. Yet they cannot produce one light bulb. So, I have asked the Federal Government to allow the State take over the plant”.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Kachikwu in his remarks said they came to the meeting to find lasting solution to the problems in the Oil Producing Communities, adding that at the end of the deliberations a technical committee would be set up to harness and streamline all the discussions including the grievances for actions.

He said, “Oil will not be an asset in the next 30 years. So, the host Communities should maximize their benefits now and put it to proper use and Oil Companies must start negotiating with the host Communities and the government to know exactly what they need as part of their corporate responsibilities”.

A traditional ruler from the Oil Producing Areas, HRH Eze Emmanuel Assor said “the Oil Companies have failed in their corporate responsibilities to the Communities and that the trend must change for the sake of peace in the Oil Producing Communities”.

Prof. Maurice Iwu who spoke on behalf of the Imo Economic Development Initiative, asked the Federal Government to remove all the bottlenecks holding the State Government from taking over the Power Plant at Egbema as the State has the Capacity to attract investors to complete the plant, adding that the Industrial Park the State Government is building does not require cash from the Federal Government, but only validation

Val Okara, Owerri.